My name is Cheryl Smith, I live in Canada and I specialize in realistic soft pastel artwork with a special love for pet portraits. Although I generally paint domestic animals I have also done a few people portraits. I use high-end pastel materials such as Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper, Rembrandt pastel sticks, Unison Pan Pastels, Faber Castell, CarbOthello, Gioconda and Conté à Paris pastel pencils.
Pastels are made from finely ground pigments and a minuscule amount of a binding agent. Pastel artwork does not fade or crack over time but does have a delicate surface and should be handled carefully.
Pastel portraits are not a new media. Pastels were first used in the sixteenth century by Leonardo da Vinci. Many other famous artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Pablo Picasso occasionally took advantage of the vibrant brilliance of pastel colours. The pastel works of the masters hang in galleries and museums looking as fresh and vibrant as the day they were created.
One of my other interests is photography, specifically sunrises, sunsets, astrophotography and of course, my dogs.
 |  Visit my Portfolio to view some of my completed pastels. My Tips page includes How To Photograph Pets as well as Framing and Hanging Instructions. Occasionally I have pastel artwork for sale. Visit my Testimonials page should you need assurance about my abilities as a pastel artist. On my Prices page I have outlined my prices and services. If you are interested in commissioning a pastel, Contact me and we can discuss the various options. |